THE The Independent Newspaper Serving N~tre Dame and Saint Mary's OLUME 40: ISSUE 1 SATURDAY, AUGUST 20,2005 NDSMCOBSERVER.COM Notre Dame Class of 2009 shines as 'strongest ever' of Studies has changed, one academics and in terms of Incoming freshmen thing has been constant - broad diversity this class is the boast high academics, Notre Dame freshmen contin­ strongest ever." ue to get stronger academical­ The class comes to Notre NOTRE DAME CLASS OF 2009 varied involvenzent ly. Dame in a time of transition, The class of 2009, eomprised with University President Enrollment: 2,00:Q 21.9% are ethnic minorities. of 2,000 students selected Father John Jenkins having Average SAT: 1379 22% ar{l cluldren of alumni. By HEATHER from an applicant pool of taken office July 1, and new VAN HOEGARDEN 11,316, is as unique and tal­ football coach Charlie Weis set Average AC'l': 31.8 Nt·ws Writer ented as ever before, said to coach his first game Sept. 3. director of admissions Dan In the First Year of Studies The average stud(~rl,+ t~ked in the top 5.5% of his During a year when every­ Saracino. program, theology professor thing from tlw presidnnt of the "It sounds like an old record, Rev. Hugh Page takes over for or her high school graduating class. University to the lwad football but this elass is stronger than Source: Notre Dame admissions GRAHAM EBETSCH/Observer Graphic eoach to the dp,an of First Year ever," he said. "In terms of see STRONGEST/page II 1 Stores revel in college shopping rush Residence Target, Meijer, TJ Maxx, halls fill to other retailers stock up for move-in weekend capacity By MADDIE HANNA Associare News Ediror By MARY KATE MALONE News Writer The Seus wonHm are power shop­ pers, and South Bond is loving it. In rncn n t years. 0 ITiee of "(;osh, it's all a blur. We did 90 per­ Hesidenee Life and llousing cent of' it today," exclaimed Saint assistant direetor Seott Mary's frnshman MauriHln Seus, Kachmarik has been faeed rnfnrring to her family's pursuit of with a dilemma - not enough tlw pnrf'net dorm room furnishings beds for Notre Dame's annual for her and sister Chrissy, a Saint inrlux of frnshman students, Mary's sophomom. which forces his starr to Tlw Sm1s family !11ft tlwir home in scramble to utilize every inch southern Orngon and eame baek to of' dorm space. South Bnnd days narly to do their But this year's biggest-yet shopping hnre. Tlwy'vn alrnady hit overflow may carry weightier Super Target, Meijer and TJ Maxx. conseq uenees than squeezing While not everyone may subscribe three freshmen into a convert­ to tlw Sm1s' "shop-til-you-drop" plan ed study lounge. of' attaek, tlw mad rush to snatch up "Then1 is nothing lPrt to 'ere­ tlw host dorm room dnals hits the ate'," Kaehmarik said. "We are South Bend arna annually as college maxnd out of' every available studenl.s rdurn for tlw school year. bed space on campus. This "Sel'ond to Christmas, it's pretty year we have hit our p11ak." mudr our busiest season," said Hen11e Additional assistant rectors StEWE111S, assistant nHtnag11r of' tho CLAIRE KELLEYrrhe Observer Meredith Thornburgh, left, a first year law student at Notre Dame, shops with her mother at see SHOPPERS/page 9 Bed, Bath and Beyond Thursday. Businesses in South Bend are boosted by move-in weekend. see DORMS/page 9 Saint Mary's sees rise New class arrives on campus in talented freshiTien By KAREN LANGLEY News Writer The last time Jonathon I\1AR'{~S Metallo visited Notre Dame, SAIN·r Clt\SS OF 20()9 the high school senior found 'l'hP avNuJ.:tl CPA ra.ag<'s from 3.3fl _, 3.97. a cold, grey day in February. But as he checked into awral{(1 t,t1 'l'hP A< 'T ~~ lix~u ~a 27. Morrissey Hall Wednesday, Tht• av<'ru..:P HAT {'ftngfYA from 1MO t.ol220. the sun was out and thfl freshman was full of enthusi­ Most of t.ht• fr·(•shmhn r~mk,~~d in.th~<~'P 22% of th(~ir asm li1r band tryouts and the hiKh sdlOol gr·uduatin •. t~l~i~ qt1j(lt.lt'r. Notre Dame experience. Source; Saini Mary's admissions GRAHAM EBETSCH!Observer Graphic ''I'm a little nervous but looking forward to it," he Mmnb11rs of the Saint Mary's said. ''I'm ready to start By MEGAN O'NEIL dass or 2009 hail f'rom :n dill'or­ dasses and meet people." Saint Mary's Editor ent states. While Indiana. Illinois, While the vast majority of Michigan and Ohio once again Notre Dame's 2,000 incoming HncovNing from a signilieant toppNI the list, there were also freshmen arrived on campus drop in enrollnwnt last ynar, Saint impressive numbers of students Friday for Freshmen Mary's wnkomnd an aeadmnically coming from Pennsylvania and Orientation, some students began their collegiate careers strong and gp,ographically diverse Florida, said Dan Meyer, vice JUSTIN RICEfThe Observer lirst year class of 379 studenL'> to Members of Pasquerllla East's orientation committee help campus this weekend. see SMC/page 10 see MOVE-IN/page I 0 move a new freshman Into the dorm Thursday. -- --- ----~---------, page 2 The Observer+ PAGE 2 Saturday, August 20, 2005 INSIDE COLUMN QUESTION OF THE DAY: WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR INCOMING FRESHMEN? In good con1pany r What a year to bn new to Notre Dame. You've got company unpaeking your Colleen Loris Fritz Shadley Emily Kennedy Catherine Pinnaro Nick Chambers Erin Greenberg suitcase and hooking up your laptop - and I'm not just talking about the room­ sophomore sophomore sophomore sophomore sophomore sophomore mates and dorm­ Cavanaugh Siegfried Howard Pasquerilla East Alumni Welsh Family mates who will be chanting and sweating by your "Beware of "Don't be a "Become friends "Don't break "Don't know a "Don't take too side all weekend. quarter dogs." facebook with at least parietals your girl's name? much advice. " This company is stalker. " one duck." first night Nod and smile." on the ornate fourth floor of the here." Main Building, where new University Claire Heininger President Father John Jenkins is settling into his Editor in Chief office and his influ- ence. It's on the famed field of Notre Dame Stadium, ORIENTATION WEEKEND where new Head Coach Charlie Weis is breaking in his vocal chords and his team. Yeah, sure, you say. "I have as much in common with those guys as parietals do with sense." You're partly right. You have some­ thing they don't. Breathing room. As the new president and new coach embark on their first year, they'll have dozens of trustees, thousands of alumni and countless more fight song-breath­ ing Notre Dame enthusiasts looking over their celebrated shoulders and shining a spotlight of scrutiny on their actions, words and intentions. You, on the other hand, are free to make your share of inconspicuous - and glorious - mistakes. If they mess up, they're whisked unceremoniously out of their honey­ moon period. If you mess up, you've got a great story. I'm not saying there's no pressure. You're part of the smartest class in University history, and I bet most of you didn't come to Notre Dame expecting to throw those achievements away. But you'll never be brand new again, and a few harmless rookie mistakes couldn't hurt. So get lost on the way to DeBartolo. Twice. Splurge consistently at LaFortune, and watch your waistline expand and your Flex Points dwindle. Pronounce LaFortune "Law For Toon," while you're at it. Get caught sleeping in class. Take embarrassing pictures. Throw a cramped dorm party, or 20, and always run out of beer. That's what freshman year is for. Even at perfection-obsessed Notre Dame- especially at perfection­ obsessed Notre Dame- that's what freshman year is for. Take it from a classic Domer perfec­ tionist who would never live her fresh­ man year again but wouldn't change a thing- you'lllearn infinitely more from one year of college mistakes than from four years of high school striving. You're not perfect, and this year won't be, either. Embrace it. Father Jenkins could raise tuition, and he'd have students groaning. Charlie Weis could punt on fourth-and­ short, and he'd have fans booing. But you could spill your tray in the dining hall, and leave your friends laughing. TODAY TONIGHT SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY Unlike your counterparts getting com­ fortable under the Dome and in the house that Rockne built, you can get away with being new in town. So man­ gle the football cheers beyond recogni­ tion. Procrastinate for days. Run out of spending money by Thanksgiving. .... You'll never again get to enjoy the <C best part of being new - being so (.) wrong, and so right. .....0 HIGH 84 HIGH 78 HIGH 76 HIGH 75 HIGH 78 HIGH 81 The views expressed in the Inside LOW 60 LOW 54 LOW 53 LOW 54 LOW 56 LOW 62 Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer Contact Claire Heininger at Atlanta 93 I 74 Boston 81 I 66 Chicago 84 I 60 Denver 78 I 54 Houston 96 I 73 Los Angeles 81 I 64 Minneapolis 76 1 53 cheining@nd. edu New York 86 I 75 Philadelphia 88 I 74 Phoenix 104 I 81 Seattle 85 I 59 St.